Bill Text: TX SR36 | 2013-2014 | 83rd Legislature | Enrolled

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Bill Title: Providing for the drawing of lots to determine terms of office.

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1-0)

Status: (Passed) 2013-01-23 - Reported enrolled [SR36 Detail]

Download: Texas-2013-SR36-Enrolled.html

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By: Whitmire S.R. No. 36

SENATE RESOLUTION
WHEREAS, Under the provisions of Article III, Section 3,
of the Constitution of the State of Texas, the Senators elected
after each apportionment shall be divided into two classes, the
seats of the Senators of the first class to be vacated at the
expiration of the first two years, and the seats of those of the
second class to be vacated at the expiration of four years; now,
therefore, be it
RESOLVED by the Senate of the 83rd Texas Legislature, That
the Senate shall draw lots as provided by this resolution; and,
be it further
RESOLVED, That the drawing of lots shall be conducted as
follows:
(1) The Lieutenant Governor shall appoint a committee of
five Senators to supervise, direct, and verify all matters
relating to the preparation of the slips and envelopes and the
drawing of the envelopes as provided by this resolution;
(2) The Secretary of the Senate shall prepare 31 slips of
paper of uniform size and appearance and number the slips of
paper sequentially from 1 to 31;
(3) The Secretary of the Senate, under the supervision of
the committee shall place each of the slips of paper in a separate
capsule, each of the capsules to be of uniform size and
appearance, and shall then place each of the capsules in a
separate envelope and seal the envelope, each of the envelopes to
be of uniform size and appearance, and then place the 31
envelopes, each containing one of the capsules and slips of
paper, in a suitable receptacle;
(4) At a time and on a day determined by the President in
open session of the Senate, the drawing of the envelopes shall be
conducted under the supervision of the committee in the following
manner:
(A) The receptacle containing the sealed envelopes
shall be placed on a suitable table or desk at the front of the
Senate Chamber; and
(B) The Secretary of the Senate shall call the names
of the Senators in alphabetical order, and as the name of each
Senator is called, that Senator shall withdraw from the
receptacle one envelope, which shall then be immediately opened
and the number appearing on the slip of paper in the envelope
recorded after that Senator's name on a suitable register
prepared by the secretary;
(5) Any Senator who is unable to attend the drawing shall
designate in writing another Senator to draw an envelope in the
place of the absent Senator; in the event any Member of the Senate
is absent and has failed to designate another Senator to act for
the absent Senator in the drawing, the Secretary of the Senate
shall draw an envelope for the absent Senator;
(6) The Secretary of the Senate shall, after all of the
Senators have drawn their respective envelopes, draw an envelope
for each Senate district for which a vacancy exists at the time of
the drawing; and the number drawn for each such district shall
determine the expiration of the term of office for that district
in the same manner as if a Senator were representing the
district; and
(7) The 15 Senate districts for which slips with even
numbers were drawn shall constitute the first class and the term
of Senators representing those districts shall terminate at the
expiration of two years; and the 16 Senate districts for which
slips with odd numbers were drawn shall constitute the second
class, and those terms of office shall terminate at the
expiration of four years.
_______________________________
President of the Senate
I hereby certify that the
above Resolution was adopted by
the Senate on January 23, 2013,
by the
_______________________________
Secretary of the Senate